Students allegedly abused on buses

Girl's guardian informed after inquiry began

December 19, 2007|By Kathy Bushouse Staff Writer

The legal guardian of an autistic girl allegedly mistreated by her school bus driver said she was never informed of the incident by Broward school officials, and instead learned about it last week from a Sheriff's Office child abuse investigator.

Linda Page, the girl's aunt and legal guardian, said she was told Thursday afternoon that her niece was involved in the Sept. 26 incident aboard the bus from The Quest Center. The investigator told her that she had a videotape reportedly showing bus driver Michael Clough waving what looks like a broom handle and ordering the girl to stay in her seat.

The video also reportedly shows Clough slamming the broom handle on a bus seat and poking the girl in the ribs, said School District spokesman Keith Bromery.

Page was stunned. "[The investigator] said, 'You were not aware of this?' I said, "Absolutely not,' " Page said. "People knew about this and no one said anything? Do you understand the gravity of that?"

The district also did not notify the group home where the girl lives.

Page said she's tried to contact the Broward County School District but has not received a response.

"They never bothered to call the group home. They never bothered to call myself," Page said. "They never bothered to involve anyone on any level."

School Board Chairwoman Robin Bartleman was stunned when told that it was a child abuse investigator, and not the school district, who informed Page of the possible abuse case.

"I can't understand how a breakdown like this could occur," Bartleman said.

School district officials are investigating the incident, as well as another alleged abuse incident a week later on a school bus from New River Middle School. In that case, driver Harry Toussaint is accused of not pulling over to stop a boy who allegedly was roughhousing with a girl, including sitting on her.

Neither case was reported to the Department of Children and Families' abuse hot line until last week, more than two months after the alleged abuses, prompting criticism from the state agency.

Bromery said Tuesday he could not say whether Page was ever notified, and said this would be part of the district's investigation into the alleged abuse cases.

Schools Superintendent Jim Notter said parents or guardians are supposed to be informed about any incidents involving their children. District employees are told of these requirements during training on handling possible child abuse cases, he said.

The two bus drivers have been reassigned to administrative duties until the investigations are completed - a decision that also upset Page.

"If I did that to someone, would I be in jail? Absolutely," she said.

Page said it's difficult to tell how the September incident aboard the bus has affected her niece, who has trouble communicating. Fearful a similar incident could happen again, she said she's instructed her niece's caregivers at the group home to carefully examine the girl every day after she returns from school.

DCF spokeswoman Leslie Mann could not release additional details about the bus incident, citing privacy concerns. She said DCF district administrator Jack Moss will meet with Notter this week to discuss the cases and the school district's response.

Kathy Bushouse can be reached at kbushouse@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4556.